Sperry



Feb. 21, 1956 SPERRY 2,735,286

WATER POWERED WASHING MACHINE I Filed April '7, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 $12 f0 7: B'erce azrqy @5424, 9714504441 S ZIM @fliya.

Feb. 21, 1956 P. SPERRY 2,735,286

WATER POWERED WASHING MACHINE Filed April '7, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 22 P 272 Lesv farx zerce err 2; Y M MQ Feb. 21, 1956 P. SPERRY 2,735,286

WATER POWERED WASHING MACHINE Filed April 7, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 WATER PGWERED WASHlNG MACE Pierce Sperry, Harrison, Ohio Application April 7, 1953, Serial No. 347,269

7 Claims. (Cl. 68-151) This invention relates to a washing machine and particularly one which is driven by water power.

One object of the invention is to provide a comparatively inexpensive washing machine which eliminates the major expense in machines of this kindan electric motor for driving the washing machine mechanism.

Another object is to provide a washing machine of comparatively small size yet eflicient in operation, which may be set in a sink or the like and requires but a single hose connection to the faucet of the sink for supplying the necessary motivating fluid, the water from the faucet at the usual pressure being directed against the blades of a water wheel which is directly connected with a clothes carrying basket.

Still another object is to provide the mechanism in the machine itself formed of few parts, simple in construction and assembly, and readily serviceable, the various parts being arranged for ease in taking them apart without the aid of tools other than a screw driver.

A further object is to provide a clothes carrying basket in the casing of the washing machine and a baffle arrangement on the basket and/or casing to cause the proper agitation of the washing fluid and thereby efficient cleaning of the clothing in the basket when the basket is rotated by the water Wheel as distinguished from the usual washing arrangement where an agitator is oscillated in order to agitate the washing fluid.

Still a further object is to provide a basket for the purpose of containing the clothes so that they do not catch on the bafiie blades of the basket and/or casing, and an agitator in the basket for aiding in the washing action.

An additional object is to provide a casing with a partition therein above which the clothing may be washed and below which a water wheel is positioned, the same being readily removable for servicing and/or replacement.

Another additional object is to provide a washing machine wherein the same motor and the same direct connection thereof to the basket is used to spin-dry the clothing after the washing operation.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my washing machine, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of a washing machine embodying my present invention and showing it in a sink and connected to the faucet for clothes washing purposes.

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof with a portion of the lid broken away.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view to show details of construction.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 44 of Figure 3 to show constructional details of the basket and casing of my washing machine.

Patent:

2,735,286 Patented Feb. 21, 1956 Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional View on the line 5-5 of Figure 3 to show the water wheel section of my washing machine.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view similar to a portion of Figure 3 showing a modification; and

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view on the line 77 of Figure 6.

On the accompanying drawings I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate in general a vertical tubular casing. This casing may be formed of steel or other suitable metal and is preferably provided with a pair of beads 12 and 14 adjacent the bottom and top thereof. The bead 12 has" a partition 16 resting thereon and this partition may be sealed in relation to the casing 10 by soldering its periphery thereto adjacent the bead 12. The head 14 is provided to support a lid 18 provided with a knob 20 for convenience in removing and replacing the lid.

A bottom wall 22 is provided and this may have a vertical flange 24 around its periphery to fit up against the bead 12. The bottom wall 22 may be held in position by three removable clips 26 secured to the wall of the casing 10 as by screws 28.

The partition 16 and the bottom wall 22 define a water wheel cavity between them wherein I mount a Water wheel comprising upper and lower discs 30 and 32 connected together by a corrugated annular wall 34, the parts being soldered or otherwise suitably secured to gether. The corrugations are of some suitable shape such as shown in Figure 5 to serve as blades for the water wheel in conjunction with a nozzle 36 entering the side of the casing lit at a suitable angle as shown in Figure 5. This nozzle is provided with a fitting 33 for attaching a hose 4i) therewith, the other end of the hose indicated at 42 in Figure 1 being adapted for connection to the spout 44 of a faucet of the usual type installed in a sink or the like such as shown at 46.

The casing 10 and the wall 24 of the bottom member 22 are provided with matching openings 48 and 50 as shown in Figure 5 through which the water, after its pressure is expended against the blades 34, may discharge into the sink 46 and drain therefrom into the usual drain pipe 52 connected therewith as shown in Figure 1.

For supporting the water wheel 3tl3234 for rotation, I provide a shaft 54 having its lower end journalled in a bearing 56 and an intermediate portion thereof journalled in a bearing 58. These bearings may be of the flanged type as shown in Figure 3 and soldered to the lower surface of the bottom wall 22 and the upper surface of the partition 16 as illustrated. The water wheel may be secured to the shaft as by a pin 60 extending through a spacer sleeve 62 which is soldered in position between the discs 30 and 32.

The shaft 54, it will be noted, extends upwardly and terminates in a squared portion 64. An agitator 66 has a hub 68 provided with a bore to receive the shaft 54. The upper end of this bore is broached square to fit the squared portion 64- of the shaft. The lower portion of the hub 67 is constricted as indicated at 70 to fit the shaft 54 so as to support the agitator against undesirable movement in relation to the shaft whereby it will rotate with the shaft.

The agitator 66 has a plurality of wings 72 thereon and surrounding these I provide a basket comprising a perforate wall 74 (of hardware cloth or the like) having reinforcing rings 76 and 78 at the bottom and top thereof. The lower end of the basket may be positioned in relation to the agitator by the wings 72 as shown in Figure 3.

The upper end of the basket is positioned by means of a spider 80 having hooked ends 82 to engage the reinforcing ring 78 and a perforated center secured to the top of the shaft 54 by a screw 84 having a knurled'head 86 for convenience, in removing the same without the neces- 3 sity of tools. This screw when removed permits the spider to be taken olf and both the basket 74 and the agitator 66 removed from the shaft 54 for cleaning out lint, threads and the like that might interfere with the rotation of the agitator and basket.

I provide the casing with inwardly extending baffles 88 and the basket 74 with outwardly extending baffles 90. While I have shown bafiies for both the casing and the basket, one or the other may be omitted if desired.

Also they may be made in different shapes than those illustrated and arranged at forwardly or rearwardly slanting angles with-respect to the direction or rotation of the basket 74 if desired. The batfle blades 39 may advtantageously be formed from the wall of the casing 10 as illustrated and the bafiies 96 may be soldered or otherwise securedto the basket 74.

For insuring rotation of the basket 74 with the agitator 66, I provide U-shaped clips 92 extending inwardly to engage the wings 72. Also extending from the lower portion of the casing 10 just above the partition 16, a drain valve 94 may be provided.

Practical operation In the operation of my washing machine, the clothing is deposited in the basket 74 and the machine filled with water either directly from the faucet 44 or by using the hose 40. After the desired soap or detergent is introduced into the machine, the hose is connected to the fitting 38 of the nozzle 3-6 and the faucet 44 may be opened and regulated to rotate the washing machine at the desired speed. I have found approximately 250 R. P. M. satisfactory and the faucet may be adjusted for this speed or a speed higher or lower as may be desirable for the particular batch of clothing being washed which dictates to some extent the most eficient speed of the machine.

After the washing has been completed, the drain valve 94 may be opened and as the water drains out the speed of rotation will increase until it is about 450 or 500 R. P. M. at the same setting of the faucet 44 that produces approximately 250 R. P. M. during the washing process. This speed is sufficient to spin-dry the clothing whereupon the machine may be filled with rinse water. After sufiicient rinsing operation, this is drained out and the clothing again spin-dried. During the final spin-drying operation the speed may be increased by opening the faucet 44 farther if this is found desirable.

As already referred to, the washing machine parts above the partition 16 may be readily taken apart for cleaning. If servicing for the water wheel is necessary, this unit may be readily removed by removing the three screws 28 so that the bottom wall 22 may be dropped out of the casing iii and the water wheel will come with it. The wheel may then be repaired or replaced and the servicing procedure takes but a few minutes time.

It is obvious, therefore, that I have provided an extremely simple construction from both the manufacturing and the servicing standpoint. For small washings the machine is very efiicient and eliminates the necessity of any electrical connection as in the usual type of washing machine. During the washing operation the basket 74 rotates relatively slowly and the water is agitated through the clothing by means of the smile blades 88 and 90. The bathe blades are advantageously arranged so that the movable ones pass the stationary ones at approximately the same time so that the resistance in their passing will result in a pulsating rather than a steady rotation of the basket. This also slows down the basket more than if the blades were omitted in which event the rotation would be too fast for an efficient operation.

Also, as the blades 90 pass the blades 83, they cause pockets of swirling water ts ag' ate the clothing between the Wings .72 and insure a rapid and efficient flow of the washing water 1:h1,ough the fabrics in order to produce a maximum of eflicicncy inthecleaniug operation; While I have shownbaffles on both the casing and the basket; I

find that if one or the other is omitted, there is still an efiicient washing action and particularly if the baflie blades ht? are omitted whereupon the wings 72 coact with the blades 88 in producing a pulsating action.

In Figure 6 I show a modification wherein the casing 19 is bulged outwardly as at 96 and the blades 88a are countersunk in the bulged-out portion. The basket 74 may be larger in diameter with respect to the casing 10 (as evidenced by comparing Figure 6 with Figure 3) so that additional capacity is had without much increase in the size of the washing machine. The blades 90 on the basket are of such size as to just clear the inner diameter of the head 14 when removing the basket from the washing machine.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my washing machine with out departing from the real spirit and purpose'of my inwater wheel for rotating the same when Water under pres-, sure is supplied to said water wheel, an agitator on'said' shaft, a basket extending upwardly from the periphery of said agitator, said casing and basket wall having bafiie blades of triangular cross section extending therefrom and having rounded apices to agitate the washing fluid in said casing by squeezing it from between said bafiie blades as.

they pass each other as said agitator is rotated by said water wheel.

2. In a washing machine of the character described, a vertical tubular casing of substantially the same diameter throughout its height, a partition therein dividing said casing into a lower water wheel compartment and an upper washing compartment, a water wheel in said water wheel compartment of slightly less diameter thansaid tubular casing and having a shaft projecting upwardly into; said washing compartment, a nozzle for directing water toward said water wheel to rotate it, an agitator removably positioned on said shaft and having a disc at the lower end thereof, a basket comprising a cylindrical perforate wall extending upwardly from the periphery of said disc,

a spider removabiy positioned on the upper end of said shaft and coacting with-the upper edge of said cylindrical wall to support said basket in relation to said agitator, said agitator having wings extending upwardly from said disc and serving to position the lower end of said cylindricalwali, and said casing and cylindrical wall having humplike inwardly and outwardly extending baffle blades to cooperate with each other in agitating the washing fluid as said water wheel and thereby saidbasket is rotated.

3. A washing machine of the character described comprising a vertical tubular casing, a partition therein adacent the bottom thereof for dividing said casing'into a lower water wheel compartment and an upper'washing compartment, a water wheel in said water wheel compartment and having a shaft projecting upwardly into said washing'compartment, a nozzle fordirecting water toward said water wheel, an agitator removably positioned V on said shaft and having a disc at the lower end thereof," a basket comprising a cylindrical perforate wall extend{ a ing upwardly-from the periphery of said disc, said agitator having wings extending upwardly from said discand serving to position the lower end of said cylindrical wall, and said casing having inwardly extending triangularbaflie blades-to cooperate with said wings in agitatingthe washing fluid as said water 'wheel rotates said agitator and basket, each of said bafliebladeshaving a roundedapexr 4. In a washing machine of the character described, a tubular casing having a lower water wheel compartment and an upper washing compartment, a partition separating said compartments, a bottom wall removably positioned in said casing below said partition, a water Wheel in said water wheel compartment and having a shaft projecting upwardly into said Washing compartment, bearings for said shaft carried by said bottom wall and said partition, a nozzle projected into said water wheel compartment and toward said Water wheel to rotate the same when water under pressure is discharged from said nozzle, an agitator removably positioned on said shaft and having a disc at the lower end thereof, a basket comprising a cylindrical perforate wall extending upwardly from the periphery of said disc, said agitator having wings extending upwardly from said disc and serving to position the lower end of said cylindrical Wall, means on said cylindrical wall and projecting inwardly therefrom to engage said wings to effect rotation of said basket with said agitator, a spider removably positioned on the upper end of said shaft and coaeting with the upper edge of said cylindrical wall to support said basket in relation to said agitator, and triangular baffle blades in said casing and directed toward said wings to cooperate therewith in agitating the Washing fluid.

5. In a washing machine, a tubular casing, a partition therein dividing said casing into a lower water wheel compartment and an upper washing compartment of substantially the same diameter, a bottom wall positioned in said casing below said partition, a water wheel in said water wheel compartment and having a shaft projecting upwardly into said washing compartment, means for directing water under pressure against said water wheel to rotate it, bearings for said shaft carried by said bottom wall and said partition, an agitator removably positioned on said shaft, a basket mounted on said agitator, said agitator having wings extending upwardly from said agitator, and said casing and cylindrical wall having humplike baffle blades projecting toward each other to agitate the washing fluid as said basket is rotated.

6. In a Washing machine, a tubular casing having therein a lower water wheel compartment and an upper washing compartment, a water wheel in said water wheel compartment and having a shaft projecting upwardly into said washing compartment, nozzle means for discharging water under pressure against said water wheel to impart rotation thereto, an agitator and basket removably positioned on said shaft, said agitator having wings, and said casing having hump-like baflle blades projecting inwardly from the Wall thereof and cooperating with said wings to agitate the washing fluid as said basket rotates.

7. In a washing machine of the character described, a vertical tubular casing, a partition therein dividing said casing into a lower water wheel compartment and an upper washing compartment, the diameters of said compartments being substantially the same, a water wheel in said water wheel compartment and having a shaft projecting upwardly into said washing compartment, means for directing water toward said water wheel to rotate it, an agi: tator removably positioned on said shaft and having a disc at the lower end thereof, a basket comprising a cylindrical perforate wall extending upwardly from the periphery of said disc, a spider removably positioned on the upper portion of said shaft and coaeting with the upper edge of said cylindrical wall to support said basket in relation to said agitator, said agitator having wings extending upwardly from said disc, said casing and cylindrical wall having hump-like baflle blades extending inwardly and outwardly respectively to agitate the washing fluid as said basket rotates.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 376,866 Davis Jan. 24, 1888 974,591 Patterson Nov. 1, 1910 1,542,292 Eddy June 16, 1925 1,542,650 Adams June 16, 1925 1,705,779 Nelson Mar. 19, 1929 2,095,370 Reama Oct. 12, 1937 

